Welcome to our open, self-paced ESL study group. We can and hope to add networks to the group. This blog is the hub where you can find lessons, links to ESL learning resources, leave links to add to the network, post comment and questions. The study group project is experimental. Participate by sharing ideas and suggestions.

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Monday, January 26, 2009

How was your New Years Day? First of all, I'm sorry for my absence from this blog. I was so busy on my business that I missed to post to this for many months.

I was very interested in the US President election last year and I guessed that Clinton would win in it. So, I wassurprised to hear Obama's victory. Then I wanted to hear his inaugural address. I had waited for it, but I missed it. Because he spoke at 2 am in our time and I was beaten by my sleepiness. As a result, I could listen to it on VOA web.

I thought that he spoke to all American, so it would be very understandable. However I couldn't understand most of them at first time. He spoke very clearly and modulated his voice for effect. I listed to it three time by today. Yet I don't think that I understand his speech.

I found that his speech appeared in our news papers in English with its translation. I got a copy of it yesterday. I'm going to study his speech as teaching materials. Because I was impressed by it and I could have its audio, its prints and its translation.

Monday, January 05, 2009

Everybody How are you!
Let me to take advantage of this the opportunity.
To wish everybody have a wonderful New Year 2009 ,
to be joyful and health forever.

Let's us carry on our tour

Approaching Myrtle Path Turning south from the Chinese Timber Architecture Gallery, We enter the Myrtle path. The Myrtle Hill On the right hand side are myrtle trees and a number of Black pines with extending branches are grown on the Spring Hill to the leftAlong the Myrtle Path, the roadsides are planted mainly with and some Luohan Pines on the right.

Myrtle flowers come in many colors-red、light purple、pink、purple blue or white. The flowers have a long blooming period of half a year normally from March to July. During Tang Dynasty, Myrtles were grown mostly in palaces and official residences

Blooming flowers in winter time

Luohan Pines ( Podocarpus macrophyllus) is a conifer in the genus Podocarpus, it is the northernmost species of the genus, native to southern Japan and southern China. Kusamaki and Inumaki are Japanese names for this tree, and Kusamaki is increasingly being used as the English name as well, replacing the old, botanically inaccurate names "buddhist pine" and "fern pine" (it is not a pine). In China, it is known as Luohan Pines..

It is a small to medium size evergreen tree, reaching 20 m tall. The leaves are strap-shaped, 6-12 cm long, and about 1 cm broad, with a central midrib. The cones are borne on a short stem, and have 2-4 scales, usually only one (sometimes two) fertile, each fertile scale bearing a single apical seed 10-15 mm. When mature, the scales swell up and become reddish purple, fleshy and berry-like, 10-20 mm long; they are then eaten by birds, which disperse the seeds in their droppings. The yew podocarpus growth speed is slow, 8 to 10 year beginning long height 1 meter, 4 meter high yew podocarpus then take time generally for 40 years, this is precisely its precious place.

Kusamaki is the state tree of Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

It is a popular large shrub or small tree in gardens, particularly in Japan and the southeastern United States. The ripe cone arils are edible, though the seed should not be eaten.

Luohan Pines in Hong Kong is regarded as a Fung Shui tree, thus having a very high market value. In recent years, the illegal digging of Buddhist Pine has become a problem in the city.

On the left stand a number of arresting Black Pines.

Black Pine trees in outstanding shape, two of which is like a pair of “opening arms” to welcome tourists coming into the garden. Rocks are from the Red River in Guangxi province (foreign guests may be interested to know that Guangxi is the adjacent province and west of Gungdong!) and how they appear today is result of long years of natural erosion under water. In the coming future，we will have special part to introduce the rocks and more pictures for watching.

Wishing you and your beloved ones happiness, success and most important of all, the very best of health.